It used to feel as if getting great barbecue meant you had to stand in line for hours and hold your breath that the best proteins were still available by the time you found yourself standing at the cutting board.
While that still has its place and can be the standard from time to time, the influx of great barbecue joints around the metroplex has helped ease the burden of long lines. If you look around, it’s not too difficult to find noteworthy barbecue across the state and locally. 
With the continued growth west, I felt it was only appropriate to highlight a standout in the Texas barbecue scene and a member of the Texas Monthly Top 50, Dayne’s Craft BBQ. Aledo continues to grow bigger and bigger, more neighborhoods, more options and more golf. With the recent additions of Maverick, Bluejack Ranch and a few others in the area, you’d want to know where to eat if you were lucky enough to find yourself playing a round out that way.
While Dayne’s wasn’t always a cornerstone of the Aledo community, they’ve since become a namesake around town and for good reason. The fear of a line wrapped around the door isn’t much of a reality anymore. Instead, the restaurant maintains a smooth semi-crowded buzz from the time they open to the time they close. What was once a jam-packed food truck across a few locations is now a craft barbecue restaurant open 4 days a week serving breakfast and mind-blowing craft BBQ.
Assuming it’s your first time to a local BBQ joint, it’s typically a variation of standing in line, placing your order then sitting down to eat. It’s not as buttoned up as fine dining or a sit down restaurant, but it’s sort of a staple experience here. When you arrive, you find your place in the usually modest line, scour the menu, make your selections, compare the offerings and sift through the current specials. With barbecue, you typically have a few options. You can wing it and try to order a la carte off the menu or you can get one of the pre-built platters that range in size depending on how many people you have in your group. It’s very easy to over order barbecue but I’d suggest you trust the professionals on this one.
Whether you order a platter or make the attempt to build one yourself, the Texas Trinity should always be the foundation of your order – brisket, ribs, sausage!
Start with the brisket. It’s peppery on the bark, rendered fat that melts rather than chews, and sliced with the kind of consistency that tells you someone’s paying attention at the cutting board. Order it a little fatty “moist” if you can, the way it’s meant to be eaten. The ribs hold their own right alongside it, a little tug before the meat gives way, leaving that perfect indentation of your teeth without feeling tough. A lacquered finish and a texture that can be hit or miss relative to how well the ribs are cooked — these were nails. And the sausage, coarse ground with a snap that means it was made the right way and not rushed out the door. Together, that’s the trinity done the way it should be, no notes needed.
Beyond the basics, the menu provides an intriguing variety of classics and modern takes that round out a definitive “craft” BBQ menu. The pork belly burnt ends are candied and caramelized enough to eat like dessert, which is a dangerous thing to put on a menu right next to actual dessert. The turkey, usually an afterthought at most joints, is genuinely worth ordering here, moist enough that you forget it’s supposed to be the “healthy” choice on the platter. If you’re building your own plate, don’t skip it just because it’s turkey. That’s a mistake you only make once.
Sides get the same level of care that the meats do, which isn’t always a guarantee at a barbecue joint. The mac and cheese is rich, velvety and rounds out perfectly with the crispy bits on top. The Frito pie beans are a clear sign that the sides get extra care. Luscious refried beans topped with cheese, Fritos and candied peppers rather than just a side of beans. Then there’s the coleslaw. It’s not your memaw’s or pawpaw’s coleslaw either. This is a crisp apple slaw with bits of apple, kale and even candied pecans on top. With the sides it’s a mix of fun and indulgent with bright and lighter on the stomach. One of my favorites it’s the Flamin’ Hot Street corn, a play on your standard street corn topped with cilantro and crumbled Hot Cheetos. It’s easy to treat sides as an afterthought when the meat is this good, but Dayne’s clearly didn’t get that memo, and the plate is better for it.
Sure the barbecue is great, I mean really good, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention what is my favorite burger in the metroplex. Yes, you read that right, a burger. In an effort to minimize waste, BBQ joints across the state began finding creative ways to use their excess, the smash burger has become a favorite. The Dayne’s OG Burger is two brisket smashed patties, white and yellow American cheese and a crispy red onion topped with a secret tangy orange sauce all on a seeded bun. I’d argue it’s perfect. If you don’t order one, your meal was not complete. In addition to the burger they offer a few different sandwich options. I got the bologna patty melt which is another great option if you’d rather go lighter on the BBQ but still get smoky great flavor.
If for whatever reason you find yourself out that way early, the breakfast options are just as great — they even offer house made brioche kolaches. Just know they sell out quick, so get there early.
If it’s your first time in line, don’t overthink it. Grab a platter if you’ve got people with you, order a la carte if you know exactly what you want, and trust the trinity to carry the plate. Don’t be afraid to ask how much meat you should order for each, trust me, it’s much less than you actually think. The staff moves the line quick, the buzz in the dining room is steady without ever tipping into chaos, and you’ll find yourself a seat before you’ve had too much time to second guess your order.
What Dayne’s has built in Aledo is worth the detour, whether you’re headed out to Maverick, Bluejack Ranch, or just making the drive west for a round somewhere else out that way. Grab a plate before or after you tee off, and you’ll understand pretty quickly why the Texas Monthly nod wasn’t a fluke. It’s the kind of barbecue that makes you rearrange your tee time just to make sure you’ve got room in your schedule to sit down and eat it right.